Her red hair was wrapped up and tucked beneath a cloth as she walked out of the bathroom. Another cloth was wrapped around her drying form. Outside it was beginning to grow darker, and sunlight streamed down through the trees on the hills that surrounded Laria. The village, filled with Chalets, was sitting inside a cauldron of land. She almost felt as if she should be surrounded by birds twittering and butterflies settling on her shoulders. Everything around her seemed picture perfect. It seemed like a fairytale.

She laughed out loud. Of course it seemed like a fairytale. She’d been swept away from her life and into another realm where fairies lit the halls and flowers cascaded from fountains.

There was a soft knock at her door, and she moved toward it for a moment before realizing that she was still draped in a sheer absorbent cloth. “Just a moment,” Rory called through the door. Hanging on a peg just inside the bathroom was a soft robe. She tugged it on and tied to closed.

Outside the door stood a woman with long blonde hair pulled back from her face with buttercups that matched her gown of sunshine yellow. “Greetings, Miss Spring-Meadow, I am Chailynn Night-Sky, the youngest of the Night-Sky Clan.” Rory nodded as the girl bowed her head in her direction. Unsure of what to do, Rory bowed her head in return. “Father has asked me to bring you downstairs for dinner once you’re ready.”

“Well, I just got out of the bath,” Rory said, motioning to her robe. “I’m sure I can find it, if you want to-“

“Miss Spring-Meadow, I’ll just be outside,” Chailynn replied, backing from the room. Without another word, Chailynn stepped outside the door, leaving Rory alone once more.

Now alone, Rory went to the wardrobe and opened it. Within hung a gown of emerald and gold streaked with copper. Pulling it from the hook it hung on, Rory dropped the robe to the floor and slipped the gown over her head. It settled perfectly across her breasts and slid smoothly down her hips to brush the floor. At the bottom of the wardrobe was a pair of leather sandals that were perfectly sized for Rory’s dainty feet.

Fully dressed she moved into the bathroom and peered into the mirror. She was shocked by her appearance. Even with her hair wrapped into a piece of fabric she glowed with a new radiance. Without make-up, or enhancements of any kind, she had blemish-free skin that she had never had in her life. She pulled the fabric from her hair and shook it out.

It fell in long, straight, fire red streams down her back. Hair that had only grown to mid back was now down to her waist. She tossed it over her shoulder and looked down. The familiar red of her hair now glinted of copper streaks and flowed like silk. She took it and twisted it away from her face, using pins resting on the vanity top to pin it back. Then, turning from the mirror, she gathered a few gardenias and pinned those into her hair as well.

With a backwards glance into the mirror, Rory stepped back into the bedroom just long enough to walk through. Outside in the hallway Chailynn waited for her, standing in the middle of the hallway, hands grasped in front of her.

“I’m ready,” Rory said, stepping out and closing the door behind her. Chailynn smiled and nodded, with a small bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Night-Sky,” Rory said, smiling in return.

As they turned down the amber marble hall Chailynn spoke, her voice soft and sounding like bells, “Please, Miss Spring-Meadow, call me Chailynn. I am your junior, and you are daughter of Master Gavin.”

“Master Gavin?” Rory asked softly. “I thought your father was the ruler of Laria.”

Once more, she inclined her head as they turned a corner from the hall and appeared at the top of the stairs. “You are not mistaken. My father is not only the head of this house, but also Lord of Laria. However, in three days time Master Gavin shall be my head of house. I shall marry your older brother Borealis Spring-Meadow.”

“My older brother? I have siblings?” Rory asked, a frown in place.

From below them in the hall, the strong, elegant voice of Larek Night-Sky drifted up “In due time, Aurora, in due time.”

Rory nodded, her flaming hair creating a halo around her face. “Of course, Master Night-Sky.”

From one of the many doors that branched off of the main hall, Amadahy stepped into the hall, followed by a man with blonde hair shorn to his shoulders. “You learn our ways quickly, my daughter,” she said, gazing at her as she descended the stairs. Rory nodded, as she moved to embrace her mother. “Darling, this is my husband, your father. Gavin, my love, Aurora.”

Rory turned to him, and was startled by the bright green of his eyes. The same bright green that she had, with only one difference. He had a ring of molten gold wrapped around his pupil. “Father?” Rory asked, moving away from Amadahy and toward him.

He nodded, his face softening as she moved closer to him. She slipped into his arms easily, fitting perfectly in the crook of his arm. He pressed his lips to her forehead, and held her for a long moment. “My baby,” Gavin Spring-Meadow whispered into her hair. After a long moment, Gavin took a step back and took her in. “You are truly beautiful, Aurora,” he whispered. He brushed a strand of copper hair from her bare shoulder and smiled down at her. “Far more beautiful then I ever dreamed. You look like your mother,” he finished, wrapping his arm around Amadahy’s waist.

Rory felt tears spark in her eyes, and she bowed her head to hide them. From above her came a heavy voice, a voice that was now familiar. “Our people never hang their heads, Aurora Spring-Meadow.”

The group turned to face him as he towered above them, his brunette hair pulled back into a clip. “Really, Lelandon, you don’t need to be harsh,” Chailynn said softly.

“If I am not, then who will be? You?” Lelandon snapped, coming off the steps. “Aurora, we are a proud race, and we never bow our heads in shame.”

She lifted her chin to meet his gaze. Without blinking she stared at him, her green eyes flashing silver. “You can be as proud as you wish, Lelandon Night-Sky. But in the end, your pride only weighs you down. Your pride is what makes you fall.” Lelandon opened his mouth to retort, but Larek interrupted.

“Lelandon, that’s enough from you,” Larek chastised, clicking his tongue.

Lelandon bowed his head in acknowledgment, and rose to even his gaze at Rory. “Forgive me, father. I overstepped my boundaries,” he replied. His voice sounded calm, but Rory shivered at the cold anger in his eyes.

A young man with brunette hair and piercing chocolate eyes stepped out of one of the many doors, and bowed low. “Father, guests of the Night-Sky House, dinner is served,” he said to the floor before straightening.

Larek nodded, and offered his arm to Rory. “Aurora Spring-Meadow, may I introduce my youngest son, Telis Night-Sky,” he said. Rory went to offer her hand, and stopped halfway to him, then she bowed her head. He bowed in return, and then turned to follow her and Larek into the dining room.

The room was set up with a table for ten, dressed with a scarlet cloth and white plates with scarlet utensils and goblets. The head of the table was on the far end of the room, the chair was slightly more elaborate then the rest. “Miss Spring-Meadow,” Telis said, offering his arm. “If you would allow me to escort you to your seat.” Rory nodded but didn’t reply, she was awestruck by the room itself.

Over their heads hung a chandelier of white crystal, alight with the twinkling fairy lights. Torch lit sconces graced the white marble walls, and scarlet drapes framed the large wall sized window facing the back of the house.

Behind the Night-Sky Chalet was a forest shrouded in mist. The final rays of sunlight were spilling through the foliage, casting golden lines across the grassy forest floor. Moss hung down from the trees, spilling over the trunks and down along the rocks below them. The world behind the house seemed to of a different time, untouched by human hands. For a moment Rory felt as if she could pick it up and shake it like a snowglobe, this perfect little world.

While she gazed out the window, the room had filled up. Telis pulled out her chair and helped her to sit. Larek took the chair at the head of the table but did not sit, and Gavin stood at the chair beside him. Amadahy sat beside her husband, and Rory sat beside her. The rest of the seats were occupied by people that she had never known. Chailynn and Naiya were there, as were Lelandon and Telis. Across the table was a woman that Rory had forgotten about until that moment.

“Madrid?” she asked, her eyes widening. “Madrid Nightingale?”

The woman glanced to her, a slight smile gracing her lips. “Madrid, yes, but it is Night-Sky. I am the eldest daughter of Larek and Adena Night-Sky.”

“Aurora,” Larek said, still standing at the head of the table. “May I introduce the rest of my family. You of course know Lelandon, Madrid, then there is Theron, Naiya, Telis, and Chailynn. The only one you have yet to meet is Theron. Theron, this is Aurora Spring-Meadow.”

Theron smiled at her, and bowed his head. She bowed in return, and all around her, the women sat, followed by the men.

A door opened, and three young women stepped out carrying steaming trays of meat and vegetables. They placed them one by one on the banquet along the wall and vanished, returning moments later with serving utensils.

While the women ladled food onto the plates they gathered, Larek cleared his throat. “Well, Aurora, I’m sure that you have quite a few questions, and I have called you and your parents to my table in the hopes that we can help you to come across a few answers.”

She was quiet for a long moment, just looking around at the people at the table with her. For the first time in her stay in Laria, she had no questions. Well, no, she had questions, she just couldn’t think of them. She glanced around the room, taking in the feel of the group. All nine of them were watching her in return.

Finally, she spoke, her tongue thick in her mouth. “Why was I sent away?” she asked after a long pause. Larek didn’t answer, he turned his gaze to Gavin and Amadahy. Before one of them could respond, Rory continued, “Mother mentioned that you needed me to be at least 25 years of age, but why?”

“That I can answer, Aurora,” Larek said, directing her gaze from her parents. “We needed you to be of age for your powers to manifest. Without your powers, we are helpless against the evil that threatens us.”

“Evil?” Rory asked, arching an eyebrow. “What evil?”

“Two brothers,” Larek said, his voice dropping. “Two brothers born of Laria have changed themselves into something else, something evil. We cannot fight them, we do not have the strength. You do.” Rory shook her head, closing her eyes against what he was saying. Amadahy placed her hand over Rory’s as the servant girl placed their plates before them.

“I am not a savior, Master Larek,” Rory whispered, looking away from them.

Amadahy wrapped her arms around her daughter and spoke into her hair, “I know this is hard to face, darling. It is a lot to think about, a lot to hold upon those slender shoulders. However, we need you to have an open mind, and always keep your chin up. We are here to help you.”

“How am I supposed to fight this evil?” she asked, leaning her head into her mother’s shoulder. “Do I have to do it alone?”

“Never alone, Aurora,” Gavin said softly.

“There is a reason that you have dreamed of Lelandon since you were young,” Amadahy said, leaning back to meet her daughter’s gaze. She brushed flame red hair from emerald eyes, and pressed her pink lips to the cream colored temple before her. “He is your destiny. Together you will defeat this evil and save us.”

Shocked, Rory directed her gaze at the young man. He was watching her as well, but his brown eyes were cold and distant. In the depths she could see a raw anger, a defiance, an emotion that bordered pure hatred. She glanced back at her parents, back at Larek. Then she shifted her eyes to Lelandon again. He hadn’t stopped watching her, and the emotion in his eyes hadn’t changed.

She gulped. Something wasn’t right, and the look in Lelandon’s eyes was not pleasant. He didn’t like something in this plan, and she was sure she wouldn’t like it either.